OT Promise 371: Repay and Save

Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he will save thee.

It is a natural response in the heart of every sinful human to get revenge, to get even, to pay back for any offense, any wrong, any loss. But it not up to us. It up to God and to the proper government authorities to see justice done. “Vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.” We are never allowed to take the law into our own hands, to get even, or to take an “eye for an eye.”

God promises to see justice done, to set things to rights, to make things square, to even up accounts, and to take vengeance. And He will do it, perfectly. The problem is that we don’t believe the promise and trust Him to do it. So we do it; we repay evil. We think it will assuage our anger and make us feel better, but it doesn’t work.

David was a man after God’s heart. He refused to repay the evil of Saul when given the chance. His example is good for us: with patience and time the Lord kept His promise, saw justice done, and lifted David to kingship. Even if takes until eternity, the Lord will repay evil and save us.

Ultimately, trust the promise: the Lord will save you from the enemies that want to harm you, hurt you, and kill you seriously and eternally. When justice was meted out upon Sin, Satan, and Death at the cross, evil is paid back and we are saved from it forever. We gradually learn the practical lesson: let go and let God, give it to God and don’t take back, trust God and don’t try it yourself. God keeps promises.

OT Promise 370: Abide Satisfied

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life; and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

”The fear of the Lord” is “faith in Jesus.” Faith tends to life. In fact, he who believes in Christ has eternal life. But “tending” to life is a little different: it means that the things we do and say that come from faith (fear) tend to be life-giving for ourselves and those around us. This is a promise that would incentivize us to speak and act from faith. The opposite is also true: what comes from the sinful flesh tends to deliver death.

For this reason, we pray, “Deliver us from evil.” We pray, “Deliver us from the evil of a thing,” which may be either good or bad in itself from our point of view. But it’s the death-dealing nature of the thing that is evil. Death is separation from God; life is connection with God. One is good (life, God) the other evil (death, no God).

Then the promise goes on: “He who has it will abide satisfied.” Faith and life (they go together) is the “it” that a believer has that makes him satisfied and keeps him happy, without wants and worries. Living without worry is impossible for human flesh, but it is possible, yea, even easy, for the spiritual man. The closer one is to God and life the closer he can come to living satisfied. This life is a goal fulfilled, a dream come true, and a promise realized.

OT Promise 369: Wise in the latter End

Proverbs 19:20-21 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

One of life’s daily chores is making decisions and planning what to do next. some decisions are larger than others and involve important consequences, but all decisions may be weighed and judged according to God’s Word. We desire wisdom to make wise decisions that will stand up in the long term. And God promises that.

”If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God…and it will be given him [James 1:5].” Our Lord, as a good Shepherd, will guide us and put us in the right path that will be good for us. Just ask. When the advice and counsel is from the Lord it will be wise and good. It will stand a long time.

One problem we have is that we don’t always know for sure when and how the Lord is speaking to us and leading us. But whatever decision we make, we check it with the Word to see if it lines up. Generally, if a decision is not sinful, and it gives a blessing, then go ahead with it.

This promise involves listening to the counsel and instruction of other people. There are two good reasons for listening to counsel. The first is that God usually prefers to speak to us through people, especially godly and mature Christians. At first, this seems contrary to our pride. We would rather hear directly from God than through another human. But this is how God works: He speaks through ordinary humans if we are humble enough to listen.

The second reason for listening humbly to counsel is that there are many devices in a man’s heart, and it is surprisingly easy to deceive ourselves. Many plans are in one’s mind, and some of them spring from selfish desire. We may test our own “devices” by testing them with the thoughts of others. And when we hear God’s counsel, even if it comes through lowly means, we have the promise that it will stand in the end.

OT Promise 368: Pay back what is given

Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

This is a powerful conditional promise. If you give to the poor, then the Lord will pay you back again what you gave away. God uses an intriguing word in this promise principle: “lend.” He wants us to see that when we give to the poor we are actually “lending to the Lord.” Lend means expecting it back again, as repayment for a loan. Of course, the poor cannot repay, but the Lord can, and the amazing promise is that He does repay.

God is using us as a conduit to get help to them and show mercy on those in need. God gives us money to give to others, not to waste on our own desires. And He promises to repay the loan. God never reneges on His debts. If we can see charity as a loan with repayment coming, then we would more readily give. It is not as if we suffer loss when we give away.

Giving to the poor is lending to the Lord. We need to see those in a need as though they were disguised as Jesus. Like Jesus says, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” This point of view could affect how we see other people, especially the sick, weak, and poor. If we saw Jesus in them, at least potentially, we would treat them differently. The promise of paying back helps us see two things: one is that when we give we are lending, the second is that the giving is to the Lord. Then we believe the promise: the Lord repays. With interest.

OT Promise 367: Keep the Soul

Proverbs 19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul: but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

This proverb contains one of many great promises in Scripture that come about as a result of keeping the Commandments of God. If you keep the Commandments you will live well (keep your own soul); if you despise God’s Commandments you will die. To despise in this context means to ignore, to regard as unimportant, to not pay attention to, to be indifferent to God (not God-fearing), to think it doesn’t matter, in addition to just plain disobey the Law. Then you will die. “In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” “The wages of sin is death.” It couldn’t be clearer, plainer, or simpler. Obedience brings life; disobedience death.

There is a play on the word “keep:” Keep (obey) the commandment; keep (enhance) your soul. Keep your soul = stay alive, live, live well, and enjoy life. The soul is your self, your person, your identity; it is your mind, will, and emotions.

The Law of God is a gift of God, for it makes a good life. Even unbelievers will enjoy a good life when they keep the Ten Commandments on a surface level, and also when society does as well. And life would be even better if we could keep the Commandments inwardly and avoid deadly sins like lust, greed, anger, envy and such in our thought life. But no, we die a little more every day, and lose our soul.

Thankfully, and with exceeding gratitude, Christ died to save the soul (our life) and to give us for free a righteous life (God’s eternal life). Christ lived for us, and Christ lives in us. By faith we “keep the commandment,” and therefore, by faith we “keep our own soul.” We are alive in Christ.

OT Promise 366: Find Good

Proverbs 19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

Every person loves himself, is essentially self-centered, looks out for his own interest interests. This is a given fact of human nature, for every human is a born sinner, in the likeness of Adam. When Jesus summarizes the Law with the command he assumes this to be true: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Even people with low self-esteem who hate themselves do so precisely because they love themselves.

This proverb says that if you really do love yourself (and you do) then you should want to “get wisdom.” Wisdom is good for you, and the promise is that you will find good. The “if” condition for the promise is getting wisdom and keeping understanding. This is the same thing as believing Jesus and staying in that faith. When you believing in Jesus you have found good. You have eternal life and countless gifts, promises, and blessings that come with it.

Faith in Christ brings in the Holy Spirit, who grants faith through the Gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:30: “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God.” Christ is wisdom. Believing in Him is getting wisdom, and that is an unbelievably good thing to do. And the further condition and promise is that He (the Spirit) will keep understanding. I believe that the HS has “called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and kept me in the one true faith.”

Keep the faith, and you, who love your soul, have found good. That is, the good God has found you. Thus, the best thing you can do for yourself is hear the word of Christ and keep it. You are blessed, and you have found something good.

OT Promise 365: Power to Give Life

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it.

The promise of life and the threat of death are both in the tongue. “Tongue” is a symbol of the words we say, how we say them by tone of voice, and the facial expressions used in the speaking. Body language expresses what’s right or wrong in the heart. Is our tongue used to speak from the saint or the sinner inside? We don’t think about it when we talk, but where our speech comes from determines where it is going, toward death or toward life.

We don’t normally realize the power of the tongue, but it is not innocuous. James 3:8-10: “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” Awesome power has been given to our talking. We have the power to produce life or death, to bring a blessing or a curse.

But we can’t consciously control it. It comes from a source. James goes on to say: The wisdom not from above is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” The wisdom from above is “pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown.” What a difference! What our words do depends on the source, and both sources live in us, in the heart.

Therefore, we believe the promise, and fear the threat, so that we may nourish and nurture the saint within, the Holy Spirit in our spirit. Remember: you have been given the power to give life. Eat life-giving fruit!

OT Promise 364: Satisfied and Full

Proverbs 18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

Proverbs has much to say about the mouth, lips, and tongue. In other words, how and what a person says is a condition for many good promises. Here the promise is that the person who speaks wisely, kindly, and well will be satisfied and well. The Word is full of warnings and promises regarding the words we speak, the tone of voice, and the accompanying facial expressions. This “fruit of the mouth” will have a pleasant effect on both the hearer and the speaker, such that everyone will feel like they’ve just finished a good meal.

We cannot always be consciously aware and intentional about what we say and how we say it. Our good speech must come naturally out of a good heart. It is better, and easier, to work on the heart instead of the mouth. “Acting” does come off in a genuine and heartfelt way. Fill the heart with the Gospel of Christ, the Word of God, and all the good things of God (like His love, joy, peace, grace, mercy, kindness, and abundant life), and then the fruit will come genuinely out of the mouth. Live your life with the Spirit occupying your heart and your daily conversations. Then the promise of satisfaction and fullness will be fulfilled.

When we “set our minds on the things above,” and “look at the things that are not seen,” then we will find ourselves speaking words of blessing. This fills and produces true satisfaction for all.

OT Promise 363: Sustained in Infirmity

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

The spirit inside a person is in some important sense, stronger than the body. The promise is that the inner man (where God’s Spirit dwells) will keep you going when the outer man is weak. When sickness, injury, and pain are attacking the body and rendering it infirm, sustaining strength will come from a live and healthy spirit to keep you going.

The condition in this verse is a “healthy spirit,” for if the spirit itself is wounded and weakened it cannot help the body, and the body does not sustain the spirit. Therefore, no one can bear it when both body and spirit are weak and wounded. The obvious answer is: feed, nourish, and care for the spirit to keep it strong and healthy. Then the Spirit in the spirit will be strong to sustain.

We already know how to keep the spirit spiritually strong: feed it with the Gospel as often as you can, and you can’t overfeed it. Go to church, attend Bible study, and be faithful in private prayer and Bible work. The forgiveness of sins heals over the wounds caused by sin, makes us strong, and sustains us when infirmity comes. Wounds can be self-inflicted or inflicted by others. Either way, forgiveness received and forgiveness given makes the spirit strong to sustain our infirmities.

The Spirit of God is working to heal messed up emotions and beaten up bodies. It always helps to trust the spiritual God alongside the physical science to sustain our infirmities. That’ the promise.

OT Promise 362: A Strong Tower

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is safe.

”A Mighty Fortress is our God.” God promises to be a strong tower and a safe hiding place. “The name of the Lord” is Yahweh. Jesus is Yahweh, the great “I AM.” Jesus is Lord. So we believe and confess by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the strong tower, the safe place. The righteous (the believer) runs into it when the spiritual enemies come near and threaten doubt, insecurity, fear, worry, anxiety and such. We have a place to go when Sin tempts, Death scares, and Satan accuses.

No matter what the threat or the trouble is we always have the Presence of God nearby. At any time we may run into it (Him), and we will be safe. We run through prayer in the name of Jesus. Running = trusting. God provides the strong tower and makes it available in the heart. We don’t have to run far or have strong faith. Just “run” (trust) with the faith you have. “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (safe).”

It’s not complicated, it doesn’t need a proper ritual, it’s not deserved, and it doesn’t require a deep faith. Just run. Actually just call, and He comes running. There is a safe place: the Spirit makes that place in your heart. Simply pray: “Hallowed be Thy name (in me).”